Toilet seat



. June 20, 1944. P. J. SPERZEL ET AL 2,352,133

TOILET SEAT Filed Sept. 24, 1941' 5 Sheets-Sheet l 3mg: )1 tons J1me 1944. P. .1. SPER'ZEL ET AL 2,352,133

TOIL'ET SEAT Filed Sept. 24, 1941 K-Sheets-Sheet 2 Jnucn T0145 June 20, 1944. p SPERZEL ET AL 2,352,133

TOILET SEAT Filed Sept. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwue/wtow v I 19 PE 727? J. SPE/FZEZ,

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Patented J... 20, 1944 PATENT OFFICE TOILET SEAT Peter J. Sperzel and KarlJ. G. Leufvenius, Minneapolis, Minn., assignors to Sperzel Sanitary Seat Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application September-.24, 1941, Serial No. 412,180

'7 Claims.

Our invention relates to toilet seats and is more particularly directed to toilet seats associated with means forv raising the same from the toilet bowl.

It has long been known to provide means for raising a toilet seat from the bowl for sanitary purposes, and to accomplish this it is usual to provide biasing means such as a weight or a spring to exert an upward force of the seat. Whereas thisconstructionis desirable for main taining sanitary conditions, at the same time it results in serious inconvenience, to the. user which has prevented its wide employment. In particular, the constant tendency of the biased seat to move upwardly demands that the seat be held in the lowered position until the user is seated thereon.

It is obviously possible to use a simple latch for holding the biased seat down to avoid these dimculties, but as a practical matter such a construction would be no more sanitary than the ordinary unbiased seat, because the users, particularly in public facilities, would not release the latch and the seat would not be raised.

The chief object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a toilet seat construction in which the seat, upon being lowered, will remain in a lowered position for sitting, and will automatically move-to a raisedposition after the termination of occupancy,

A further object of the invention is to provide a biased toilet seat with a unified hinge construction for holding the seat in a lowered position and for automatically releasing the seat after ing the seat to raised position, will hold the seat in a lowered position and automatically release the seat after occupancy.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide a hinge construction for these purposes in which the complete mechanism is entirely enclosed so that the same may be easily maintained in a sterile and sanitary condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for holding the seat in alowered position which yields on direct application of force to the seat so that, the same may rise without injuring the holding means.

In carrying out the objects of the invention we provide an upwardly biased toilet seat construction with means for holding the seat in a lowered position, and means responsive to the appli- 5 cation of weight on the lowered seat to release the holding means and. to permit the seat to move.

to a raised position. after occupancy.

The invention is particularly applicable to the type of toilet seat construction described in Sperzel Reissue Patent No. 20,696 wherein seat pads of relatively small area are provided at either side of the bowl generally forwardof thev center line thereof, and the seat pads are connected by a yoke journaledin hinge brackets at 1 the rear of the bowl. Manifestly, however, the inventionmay be employed with other types of seat constructions.

The invention will be further understood with reference to thedrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a topview of the toilet seat construe,

tion attached to a toiletbowl; I

Fig. 4 is a top view of the hinge construction .with the cover broken away; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the hinge construc:

tion taken on the line 55 of Figure 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view takenon the li ne.

6-6 of Fig. 3;

section of the locking mechanism of the inven-.

tionin successive operating positions;

Fig. 12 is a. sectional view of a slightly different embodiment of my invention in an operating position corresponding to that of the main embodiment as shown in Fig. 8; and,

Fig. 13 is a sectional viewof the hinge construction taken on the line l3-I3 of Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 1, the toilet seat may be mounted on a'conventional toilet bowl 1. As

mentioned above, the toilet seat includes :seat

pads 2 and '3 mounted on a U-shap'ed yoke 4 which is 'formedwith a pair of spaced arms and an intermediate straight section 5 (see Fig. 4),.

at the rear which constitutes the'hinge rod.

The hinge rod 5 is attached to the toiletibowl byf'bracket 6 which includes the upstanding journalmembers'l and 8 (see FigsI'B and 4) The Figs. 7 through 11 are detailed views partly in hinge rod 5 is received in bearings in the journal i '55 members I and 8" which are provided with bearing caps 9 and I attached to the journal members by suitable screws ll.

As illustrated in Fig. 6 hinge rod is provided with grooves 32 which coact with pins 33 inserted in the journal members to provide a ridge in the lower portion of each bearing. This construction is utilized to prevent endwise movement of hinge rod 5.

The toilet seat is biased to raised position, and for this purpose We provide a spring. In the embodiment shown we employ a helical torsion spring l2 which surrounds, and is supported by, the hinge rod 5. One end of the biasing spring engages the hinge bracket 6 through fixed blocki3 carried thereby. The other end. of the biasing spring I2 is connected to hinge rod 5 by insertion through an aperture in member I4 attached thereto.

In order to provide means for adjusting the tension of spring [2 a series of apertures 31' are. formed in member l4. The tension on spring l2 will depend upon which aperture the end of the spring. is inserted in, and thereby the desired biasing force exerted by the spring can be obtained when the hinge construction is assembled.

As shown in Fig. 13 member [4' may preferably be splined onto the hinge rod through splines 35 engaging corresponding grooves in member l4.

In order to limit the upward movement of the seat and to absorb the shock of its momentum received during movement by biasing spring l2, shock absorbing stop spring I5 is employed. This spring surrounds hinge rod 5 and one end thereof is connected thereto through member l4. For this purpose member [4 is provided with another series of apertures 38 into an one of which the end of spring l5 may be inserted. In this way the operation of the stop spring maybe adjusted as desired. The free end 16 of spring l5 overlies bearing cap 9 of journal member I, as shown in Fig. 5. As the seat approaches its raised position end iii of spring l5 engages the bearing cap and increasingly retards the movement of the seat, spring l5 being deformed, and bringing the seat to a cushioned stop. In case the seat overshoots its final position, it. isreturned thereto by action of stop spring l5.

For the purpose of locking the toilet seat in a lowered position so that. the same may be conveniently occupied by a user weprovide a detent which is movable with the seat and which coacts with a latch having a fixed mounting;

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and. Figs. 7' through.

11, member I!- fixed to hinge rod 5 is provided with face t8 which constitutes the detent movable with the seat. Latch I9 is carried by fixed hinge bracket 6, being connected. thereto through a resilient leaf spring 20. Leaf spring is secured to the hinge bracket 6 by screws 2|, and permits latch Hi to operate in recess 22 of the hinge bracket.

Latch l9 extends beyond member I! so that it may be retracted from engagement with detent l8 by operation of cam member 23. This cam .member is loosely journaled on hinge rod 5 adjacent member I! affixed thereto. Cam member 23 constitutes means for rendering latch member l9 inoperative, and for this purpose it is operatively connected to hinge rod 5 through a lost motion connection. The latter is formed by pin 24'which is carried in a fixed position on hinge rod 5 by member l1. Pin 24 passes through an arcuate aperture 25 in cam member 23, and is;

provided with a head 26 for retaining the cam -75 member 23 in its proper position. Cam member 23 therefore may be driven in either direction by engagement of pin 24 with either of the end faces 21 or 23 of aperture 25. This detail of the construction is best shown in Figs. 7 through 11, in connection with which the operation of the invention will be described.

It will be noted that the construction described constitutes a compact unified hinge. device which may be conveniently enclosed by a cover presenting a smooth exterior surface free of crevices so that the same is easily maintained in a sanitary condition. For this purpose a cover 29 is provided which in conjunction with end pieces 30 and 3| carried by the hinge bracket 6 and underlying the hinge rod 5 completely encloses thehinge construction.

The operating positions of the toilet seat are shown in Fig. 2,. The toilet seat is shown in horizontal position in engagement with the toilet seat inifull line position at I. In broken line at position II the seat is shown held in a lowered position through coaction of detent l8 andlatch I9. In broken line at position III. the seat is. shown raised under. operation of biasing spring I2. The are a indicates the range of cushioning stop action exerted by stop spring l5.

In, Fig. 7 are shown the positions taken by detent l8 and latch l9 when the toilet seat is raised as shown in position III of Fig. 2. When the user depresses the seat preparatory for occupancy, as the seat approaches position II latch l9 riding against the periphery of member l'l engages extension 34 0f cam member 23. As cam'mems ber 23 is freely journaled on hinge rod 5 it lies against latch l9, and pin 24 merely takes up the lost motion in arcuate opening 25. When the seat reaches position II latch [9 under the action of spring 20 snaps intoengagement with detent facel8. In this position the lost motion provided by the arcuate opening 25 has been substantially taken up and. the parts are in the position shownin Fig. 8.

As the user sits on the seat the weight de-. presses the same, and it comes into engagement with the toilet bowl as shown at positions III. Thecorresponding positions ofthe latch mechanism are shown in Fig. 9.

Rotation of member-i! carries the detent [8 beyond its point of engagement with latch l9, and engagement of pin 24 with end face 21 of aperture 25 has depressed latch I 9 by forcing cam member 23 over the inclined face of latch I 9. Theupward pressure of spring 20- on latch I 9' forces the latter upwardly into engagement with 34 rides past latch I 9.

When the seat is released after occupancy, biasingspring l2 rotates hinge rod 5. As shown in Fig; 10 this returns detent l8 of member l1 toward latch l9. Due, however, to the lost motion between pin 24 and end face 28- of arcuate opening 25' of cam member 23, the latter remains in engagement with latch I9 and holds the. same in a depressed position in which it is cleared by detent l8. Any tendency of hinge rod 5 to move cam member 23 by friction is overcome by the engagement of latch I 9 with extension 34 on the cam. As the seat rises by rotation of hinge rod 5 pin 24 comes into positive contact with end face 28 of arcuate opening 25 after detent [8 passes latch l9. This is. shown in Fig. 10. As the seat continues to rise cam member 23 receives positive actuation and extension 34- is drawn oif latch H] as. is shown in Fig. 11'. Latch I9 is thereby reconditioned for further holding operation incident to subsequent usage of theseat. From the position shown in'Fig. 11 the seat is-returnedby biasingspring l2 toward raised position III of Fig. 2. Y

By the shock absorber action of stop spring l5 the seat is retarded at first gradually, then with increasing force, within the range of arc a. Whore its momentum is sufficient to arry. it past position III, stop spring returns-it theretof'By this procedure, quiet operation isassured and shock to the operating mechanism is avoided. I I It will therefore be seen that the upwardly biased seat may be moved from the raised position III to a lowered or holding position II, for convenience of the user, and that automatically after the termination of occupancy theseat is returned to the raised position So that the same will be maintained in a sanitary condition.

It will be understood that in cases where the invention is installed in public conveniences it may be subject to misuse. Thus, when the seat is in the lowered or holding position an attempt may be made to raise the same through direct application of force. This may occur through ignorance of the user or even by wilful destructiveness. Under certain circumstances, therefore, it may be desirable to provide yielding holding means for latching the seat in the lowered position. For this purpose the holding means may be constructed as shown in Fig. 12 wherein the parts are in an operating position corresponding to Fig. 8 of the main embodiment.

In this embodiment the coacting surfaces of latch l9 and member 11, [9a and I80. respectively, are slanted so that positive locking does not occur as in the main embodiment. The up ward pressure on latch l9 exerted by spring is selected so that the engagement of surface I9a with surface l8a, prevents upward movement of the hinge rod by biasing spring l2; but on the application of additional force surface l8c cams latch l9 downwardly and permits the seat to rise without in anyway damaging the operating parts of the hinge construction. It will be understood that the operation of the construction shown in Fig. 12 is otherwise similar in all respects to that of the main embodiment as shown in and described in connection with Figs. 7 through 11. It is also manifest that the provision of a yielding holding means for maintaining the toilet seat in a lowered position constitutes in itself an improvement over prior known devices aside from the other operating features of the invention.

It will be understood that the form of the invention herein shown and described is merely illustrative. The scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a hinged toilet seat biased to swing upwardly away from its position of use, a hinged mounting for the seat having a fixed support, releasable holding means for holding the seat in a lowered position preparatory for use including coacting means on the hinged mounting and support operated by movement of the seat into said last-named position, and said holding means further including relatively movable releasing means on the hinged mounting operative in response to further lowering movement of the seat from said last named position to release said coacting means for upward swinging movement of the seat by the biasing means.

2. In a toilet seat having a hinge device for means coacting with the bracket means to;

hold tlie hinge device against pivotal movement in'one direction on the bracket means, and-releasing means also carried by and movable with thefhinge deviceand having means responsive to movement of the hinge device in another direction from its heldposition to render the lock-- ing'm'ean's inoperative to holdthe-hinge device agains'tmovementl" 3 In a' toilet seathaving a hinge device formounting the seat' over a toilet bowl and biased to swing upwardly away from its position of use over the bowl, bracket means pivotally supporting said hinge device and having means for attachment to the bowl, a spring biased latch carried by the bracket means, locking means carried by and movable with the hinge device and having means coacting with the latch to hold the hinge device against pivotal movement in one direction on the bracket means, and releasing means also carried by and movable with the hinge device and having means responsive to movement of the hinge device in another direction from its held position to release the latch from said locking means.

4. A hinge device for mounting a toilet seat on a toilet bowl including bracket means attachable to the bowl, hinge means for supporting the toilet seat pivotally carried by the bracket means, an apertured member disposed between said bracket means and secured to said hinge means, biasing means including two springs working against each other with their adjacent ends locked in said apertured member for moving the same in one direction for raising the toilet seat and yieldably holding the same in substantially vertical position, and weight responsive holding means carried by the hinge means and coacting with the bracket means in one position of movement of the hinge means to hold the hinge means against movement in one direction, said holding means including a relatively movable part becoming operative on further application of weight on the seat when the hinge means is held by said holding means to permit movement of the hinge means thereafter by the biasing means.

5. A hinge device for mounting a toilet seat on a toilet bowl including bracket means attachable to the bowl, hinge means for supporting the toilet seat pivotally carried by the bracket means, biasing means including a pair of oppositely acting springs having their adjacent ends operatively connected to the hinge means intermediate the supporting bracket means for moving the same in one direction to raise the toilet seat and for yieldably retaining the same in raised position, locking means carried by the hinge means and coacting with the bracket means in one position of movement of the hinge means to hold the hinge means against movement in one direction by the biasing means, and releasing means also carried. by the hinge means and movable therewith in one direction relative to the locking means and becoming operative in response to movement of the hinge means from held position to release the locking means and permit movement of the hinge means thereafter by the biasing means;

mounting the'seat over a toilet bowl and, biased 6. In a hinged toilet seat having atransverse hinge rodadjacent its rear portion and supportingmeans rotatably mounting the rod with respect to an underlying toilet bowl, a radially projecting flange-like member rigidly mounted on an intermediate portion of said transversely extending hinge rod for rotation therewith, a coiled seat-lifting sprin surrounding one end portion of the hinge rod with one end of the spring reacting against said flange-like member and the other end thereof reacting against said supporting means as a fixed base of reaction, and a coiled shock absorbing spring surrounding the opposite end portion of the hinge rod, said shock absorbing spring having one end reacting against said flange-like member and its other end reacting against said supporting means as a fixed base of reaction, said seat-lifting spring being biased to lift the seat. carried by the hinge rod to a predetermined vertical position, and said shock-absorbing spring biasing in the opposite direction through the medium of said radially v 

